Mechanism for operating ladles



6N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. H. AIKEN" MECHANISM-FOR OPERATING LADLES.

No. 564,770. Patented July 28,1896.

WITNESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

"(No Model.)

H. AIKEN. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING LADLES Patrited July wmwwmwmwwwmmwmmwmw m ll I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE;

HENRY AIKEN, or PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING 'LADL-ESI v SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 564,770, dated July 28, .1896.

' Application filed J'nly30,18955 swam. 557,652. on model.)

. To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY AIKEN, .of Pit-ts burg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Ladle Operating Mechanism, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description,-reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich-Figure 1 shows in side elevation an electric traveling crane providedwith my improved ladle-operating apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end elevationthereof, and Fig. 3 shows in vertical section the nut-and-screwmechanism which I employ for lifting the ladle.

In the drawings, 2 represents thebridge or jib of a crane movablymounted upon a track 3 and carrying a trolley 4. The trolley isprovidedwith amotor 5 for moving it along the bridge, and the bridge hasalso a motor (not shown) for moving it on its track. These parts may beof any suitable construction and do not require to be further described.

6 is the ladle carried bypivoted or swinging hangers 7, having hookswhich detachably engage opposite trunnions on the ladle.

8 Sare casings or guide-frames which extend downwardly from the trolleyand serve as guides for vertically-movable nuts 9, one of which iscontained within each casing and which are formed with oppositetrunnions or pins 9, from which depend hangers or links 10, connected attheir lower ends-to the crosshead 11 at the upper end of the hookedhangers 7. The nuts 9 are set upon upright shafts 12, which arecontained within the guideframes 8, are journaled at their lower endsupon steps 13, and at their upper ends are provided with gear-wheelsl-i, mechanically connected with a suitable motor on the t'rolley, sothat the screw-shafts may be rotated and the nuts caused to travel up ordown on the same within the casings. This mechanism is substantially thesame as that for which I have obtained Letters Patent. No'

507,303, dated October 24, 1893.

By rotating the screw-shafts in one direction the nuts are raised andthe ladle lifted,

and by rotating them in the opposite direction the ladle is lowered.

For the purpose of tipping the ladle, (and it is to this that myinvention principally relates,) I provide arms15, which project tanthusengaged the stops the further lifting of the ladle will force it to tipon the axis of its trunnions until it assumes successively the positionsshown by the. dotted lines B and by full lines, and when in thelast-named position the contents of the'ladle are poured out. When theladle is lowered, it will swing back again into a horizontal position,as shown by the dotted lines 0. The action of the ladle in tipping todischarge its contents and in righting is th'ereforeentirely automatic.

The apparatus above described forms a,

very efficient means for manipulating the ladle, enabling it to becarried to the .position desired, and then to be tipped, so as todischarge its contents, these operations being performed automaticallyand by very simple and reliable mechanism.

1. In ladle-lifting mechanism, the combination with a trolley, of aguide-frame .projecting downwardly therefrom, lifting mech anism guidedby the frame and carrying swinging hangers, a ladle having trunnionssupported bythe hangers, a rigid stop fixed to the frame and aprojection on the ladle which engages the stop when the ladle is lifted,whereby theladle is tipped; substantially as described.

2. In ladle-lifting mechanism, the combination of a rotary screw-shaftand a nut,- swinging hangers carried thereby, a casing HENRY AIKEN.

' Witnesses:

W. V.- FLANAGAN, H. D. MESKIMEN.

